Comparison of Non-nutritive Suck (NNS) Measures to Clinical Estimates of Suck and Feeding Readiness in Preterm Infants

Fifteen minutes before feeding, the mobile NTrainer recording station will be positioned cribside. Following a brief exam of physiologic state, using the Oral Feeding Readiness Assessment portion of the EFS, the infant will be cradled in a supportive inclined posture, swaddled, with limbs positioned at midline, and background/overhead lighting dimmed in the area to promote eye contact with the tester. Sampling of NNS behavior will not be initiated until the infant is in an optimal behavioral state, i.e., drowsy to active alert (state 3 or 4 or 5 as described by the Naturalistic Observation of Newborn Behavior, Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program; NIDCAP). The infant will be presented with the NTrainer pacifier, and several contiguous 30-second blocks of NNS nipple compression data will be sampled using the NeoSuck RT software. The infant will remain connected to the usual NICU monitors at all times for observation of respiration, heartbeat and oxygen saturation.

After the NTrainer data collection is completed, the baby will be fed by his or her nurse or parents as directed in the care plan. If the baby is able to feed by mouth, one of the investigators will observe the feeding, and perform 1) a NOMAS evaluation during the first 2 minutes of the feeding, and 2) an EFS assessment after the feeding is completed.

Infants will be studied in 2 sessions each day beginning at Day 4 to 7 of life, then twice weekly (2 sessions per day, 2 days per week) until hospital discharge.

Inclusion criteria

• Born at 30 to 36 weeks gestation and have no exclusion criteria.

Exclusion criteria

• Significant birth defects.
• Breathing difficulties severe enough to require being on a ventilator or nasal CPAP for more than 2 hours after birth.
• Any oxygen requirement at Day 4 of life.
• Any neurologic problems, including seizures or frequent apnea spells.